Schizophrenia is a recoverable disease. If the treatment follows the doctor's orders and if the services that have to be provided in the hospitals or in the home medium are respected the schizophrenic has higher chances to recover. It is recommended to ask for help after the first symptoms. Schizophrenics should ask first for the help of a psychiatrist.
After seeing a psychiatrist, when the treatment is established patients can see a GP that will be responsible with their care from that moment.
Many types of treatments may have positive effects over schizophrenia. Doctors prescribe antipsychotic drugs with sedative action that are supposed to ease the symptoms. This kind of treatment may also develop side effects if taken in high doses. Antimuscarinic and neuromuscular effects are the consequences of extra dose.
Nowadays atypical neuroleptics or second generation antipsychotic treatments are recommended. These have fewer side effects than the typical neuroleptics, and include the following medicines: risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, amisulpride and zotepine.
Some people feel better after a short term treatment while others don't. For them a long term treatment is able to help. For this category of schizophrenics is recommended to review their treatment regularly. In the same time they should try to maintain the lowest level of dosage.
In cases when none of the treatments specified earlier give results a rapid tranquilization may be necessary. Even if it is used this method of easing the symptoms for schizophrenics it is not recommended because it is risky and also traumatic.
Psychotherapy may also help schizophrenic patients. It is recommended for them to talk especially to a specialist, but it is a benefic thing for them if someone else, beside the specialist, talks with them about their problems or about their behavior.
A new treatment is available for schizophrenia. It is called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and it uses magnetic impulses to stimulate the frontal regions of the brain. Its side effects are not yet discovered, but it is believed that this is the safest treatment.
Schizophrenics are in desperate need of affection and care. The psychiatrist may offer them counseling, but family and friends can offer even more.
In case of a crisis there are specialized teams able to help schizophrenics. These teams help with home treatment and their purpose is to avoid going to the hospital. If the patient needs a place to feel safe it is recommended for him to go to a hospital, even though the crisis have ended.
